Dead as a Doornail
by Shadowcaster7
Summary: Damon and Stefan argue about the soon to be vampire Elena.
1. Chapter 1

Damon and Stefan argue about the soon to be vampire Elena.

"Saint Stefan has done it again." Damon turned away from his brother and walked to the window in Elena's room. Bands of sunlight streamed in and the rays warmed his face. It was his favorite part of the day.

Somewhere outside, a few birds chirped away making all kinds of racket, greeting the morning as if _nothing were wrong_ with the dead girl lying on her bed.

Elena had been asleep all night, no scratch that. She had been lying there _dead all night, thanks to his stupid brother. _

His blood began to boil and his hands clenched tightly at his sides. He turned back to look at Stefan. "What the hell were you thinking?!" He flashed his blue eyes to give him a death stare. He could kill him for what he'd done, what he let happen.

"I thought there was time!" Stefan yelled. His green eyes widened and he and Damon quickly looked back at Elena's sleeping form on the bed.

"Nope, still asleep. You were supposed to protect her!" Damon yelled back. "Of all the bright ideas you could come up with.. and you decide 'Hey, I think I'll save the quarterback instead of the girl I love! Yeah, I think that's the way to go right now. Elena's gonna love me **so much** when she wakes up…. DEAD!'"

"Great job, little brother, you really win points for that one." Damon said.

"Matt is alive and it's what Elena would have wanted." Stefan pushed his chin out and straightened his shoulders.

"What she wanted wasn't what you should have done. She makes all kinds of idiotic decisions. If I was there—"

"I know **exactly** what you would have done if you were there. You don't need to tell me!" Stefan yelled and ran his hand through his hair, looked at the floor. "I know I let her down, I let everyone down."

"Alaric is dead, Elena's…." Stefan tried to finish the words but couldn't.

Damon walked over to him, grabbed Stefan by his shoulders, looked at his brother and said, "You're girlfriend's dead now and is going to be a vampire. You'd better be ready for it." And then he walked out the door. That had to sting. But he deserved it.

Damon left the Gilbert home, he had to think. More importantly, he needed to let off some steam.

During times like these, Alaric would usually be there, but not anymore. He was deader than a doornail now.

Revenge would be his. Rebecca's the one who did this to Elena and she would pay. He'd make her and everyone pay.

Just then, Damon noticed Matt pull up in his truck.


	2. Chapter 2

Everything that came out of his mouth was an excuse, he thought. There he was trying to defend himself against his own brother. Stefan knew he deserved it as Damon hurled accusations at him. Told him he made the wrong choice by saving Matt first.

He let Elena down; he might as well have put his own hands around her neck and killed her himself. He didn't save her, the woman he loved.

Stefan sat beside Elena's bed and reached out and grabbed her hand. She was still so warm, still alive, soft and still human, at least for the moment.

His green eyes glazed over, and tears slid down his face. All those thoughts, those last moments played through his mind, over and over again. He slouched his shoulders; they were so heavy all of a sudden.

He didn't regret saving Matt, he knew he was a good guy and the world needed more people like him, regardless of what Damon thought. Saving Matt was the right thing to do. Elena knew it too.

Although at the time, he admitted to himself, his first instinct was to save Elena. _What happened?_

She was fiercely protective of the ones she loved, always putting them first. He admired her and loved her more because of it. But he should have put her first too.

And now she was dead. She would have to make the decision to turn into a vampire or not. It was the same decision he himself made so long ago.

He didn't want her to have to face it. She never wanted this. She had even said so herself, crying that day, she was so scared. He just wanted to make it better, make it all go away.

Of all the idiotic things, he realized that he should have just pulled on the stupid seatbelt to let her lose so she could swim to the surface, right beside him, safe.

But he panicked and he did just as she had asked him to do. Damon would have done anything to save her, but then Matt would be dead.

Stefan kissed Elena's forehead gently and ran his fingers through her hair, so soft. All he wanted to do now was lie down next to her, hold her, kiss her; and pretend this was nothing but a horrible nightmare. One of those tricks that Katherine was so good at. But this wasn't a nightmare, it was very real.

Elena would soon wake up and discover what happened. What would she do then? Would she still love him? Would she become a vampire?

As if she could hear his questions, Elena stirred in her bed.


End file.
